Change The World
by Hitsuzen Nakagauchi
Summary: Neji had finally found the courage to confess...and the perfect setting is on the festivity of Konoha No Matsuri...R&R please!


-a neji-tenten fic dedicated to my neji and tenten

'What are you staring at?'

Neji knew he was caught off guard, but, instead of pulling his eyes away, his lips curved into a smile. Then he just closed his eyes and went back to his meditation.

'Hey, I saw that! What's the smiling all about?'

He cocked one eye open and saw Tenten hands fisted on her hips, clearly demanding an explanation. She was just so beautiful when angry. Her brown eyes shows ignition of fire, so warm that his snow white eyes melts like winter ice in spring.

'Nothing, get back to practice.'

His eye shut off, as his visions darkens again. In his silent thoughts, he thinks of how he had been oftentimes rude to their female counterpart. And instead of getting too annoyed of his frequent cold approach, Tenten had rather expand her patience and broadens her understanding than drooling herself to him. She knows when to come and when to retreat, to his outmost disbelief. Its like she's spreading her chakra all over Konoha and its neighboring cities. And now that they're seventeen and all, she still remained where she always wanted. Just right behind him.

'Maah! Let's take a break you two, I'm beat!'

With two hand seals performed, the arsenal of weapons disappeared in a blink of an eye. She flopped herself to the ground and tries to catch some breathings. Neji opened his eyes and remained seated on where he is. Lee is about to say something when Tenten cut him off.

'No fighting Neji, right?

'But Tenten!'

'Ah! No fighting him, or else, I have to beat you again Lee.'

Lee resumed his kickings on the poor tree when she smiled in his direction with an apologetic one.

'I'm sorry about that, Neji-kun. He just can't seem to see that no matter how hard he tries, he can't win over you.'

A nervous laugh follows. He knows that she will think that he will ignore it just like he always do. Honestly, it softens him to the very core, everytime she tries to defend him...from Lee, or from anyone else. And all he can do is to paste that undying smirk. Lee hates it. Neji knows that.

'Meet me at the veranda facing the Hokage Monument tonight.'

Tenten cocked her head in his direction, with that casual grin of hers he loves to see.

'A favor to ask?'

'A thing I have to say.'

'Oh, ok. I'll be there. Should I bring some trainings stuffs?'

'Not necessary.'

'Got it.'

At home, his Hiashi ji-san is busy training Hanabi with their own Byakkugan techniques. The older man paused for awhile just to greet him. Neji greeted back and resumed his way to his own room. Everything in Konoha changes so fast in just a span of three years. His own ideology of destiny seems to change...all because of that rather unexplainable, blabbermouth Uzumaki Naruto. And thanks to his father, his hatred no longer lingers. He had learned to forgive and accepted the fact that destiny is made by those who has the will to change it. That a person controls his destiny, not destiny controlling a person. _Frankly speaking, I feel more comfortable seeing you loosen up all that burdens you...Neji-kun._

If only he can change the world, if he was given a single chance, he would like to protect Tenten with his very life. There's no more burden, no more sadness. _Just only you, Tenten._ He placed a palm against his forehead, where the seal is seeded. She had seen it many times when Neji untied his forehead protector, the leather strap and the bandage. But she, unlike other people, doesn't show any surreal expressions on her face. She will just smile there like it was nothing for her.

Later at night.

'Ei, sorry to keep you waiting!'

Under the guidance of the moon, Neji saw Tenten waving at him. He almost didn't recognized her because she wears her hair down, no buns on either side this time. She approach him with an apologetic face.

'So, why did you ask me to come here? Is there any problems?'

Konoha is at its best at night. Today is Konoha No Matsuri, where people commemorates the building of Konoha many years ago. Neji thinks, that this is the right time to say some words he's not good at saying at. Where most people are busy downtown and will not listen to every words he gonna say.

'Remember the first time we saw each other?'

'Yeah...that was back in the Yamanaka Flower Shop.'

'I found you beautiful.'

There, he said it. He was trying so desperately for so long so say it to her without missing a beat. Now, what he has to wait is her reaction.

'Gee, thanks.'

Tenten was clearly taken aback from what she just heard. It is so rare for Neji to praise someone this good. And the first time to compliment a woman about being beautiful.

'Its's true. I even thought that I would like it if you would be part of my future team. Luckily, you did.'

'Yeah, you could say that again. I was lucky to have you and Lee around as team mates.'

Silence for some seconds as fireworks starts to lit up the night skies. Tenten is busy enjoying the light when Neji looked at her. There are sets of questions in his mind. Would it be possible that she likes him too? And if that so, could he marry a non-member of the Hyuuga clan?

'You know what Neji-kun?'

She looked at him and close their distance a little bit.

'I always wonder, if ever a Hyuuga like you would and could marry a person outside your clan?'

'Why did you ask?'

'Um, out of curiousity I guess.'

'Well, yeah, I guess we could. But if we couldn't, and I am about to marry someone not from the family, I'll break the rules and still marry that person.'

Then there's that silence again. The fireworks are starting to be at its best. Dragons, phoenix. Their colors look so beautiful. Neji remembers that certain time when he lost against Naruto, of all people. After a visit from the head of the Hyuuga family, Tenten followed a short while. With tinges of worry and cautiousness in her face. And the only thing he done to dispense that worried face is to ask her to come in and join him. The worry changes to a smile so sweet that he feels more free than those birds he saw. She just seated there, beside him. No words, no questions asked.

'Remember the time we had this mission with Naruto?'

'Yeah?'

'I am so thankful when you gave me that glass of water after having a spoon of that very awful dish.'

Tenten could only swear she's hearing strange words coming out from a Hyuuga Neji. Because when he talks, he only talks of important things like stuffs about the mission or relayed instructions needed to be complied solidly. Never of what he calls unsignificant events that will not help grow a person to what he or she inspires to be.

'I thought I'll die with that terrible cuisine Lee had recommended. That reminds me of not allowing myself to consider his taste of foods.'

When he looked at her, she was laughing very sweetly. It brings forth smiles to his own self. Then she looks at him with that smile of hers. Neji composed his self and drew a deep breath from somewhere within.

'But frankly speaking, I badly needed to tell you this.'

Her brown eyes could see hesitations on his face. She closed their distance by standing at his side with a touch of her hand on his shoulder. It made him shiver which had gone unnoticed by her.

'Badly about what? Don't tell me, you're liking someone else?'

Neji was surprised to hear a twinge of disappointment on her voice. He looked at her face with such disappoinment painted on her face.

'Because if you do, then that leaves me no right say that I love you very much.'

'What?'

Tenten didn't hear him and starts pacing to and fro infront of him. He was too surprised to stop her from pacing. He just stood there while listening to what she's saying. She nibbles her nail, brows furrowing. Continuing talking like he was not there. His masculine smile widens to see and to know something new about her.

'I had liken you the day we saw each other at the flower shop, then I had liken you even more when we got into the same group together. I had liken you most when you unpurposely opened up yourself to me and trusting me with it. I felt so special because of all people, you trusted me with it...I fe---'

She was briefly cut off when Neji grabbed her arm and pulled her into his arms with a tight embrace. Heaven is the sole witness of what's happening between them. He feels so warm, so comfortable that he wanted her for all his life. And with another sets of fireworks display atop of them, this had made the moment the greatest ever. Tenten felt so graced on what she taught he had planned for her.

'What I wanted to tell you is that I...I love you so much. Without you, I couldn't change my world. I wouldn't be here, hugging you.'

Slowly, he could feel her own arms embracing him. Her head burying softly in his shoulder. Her body feels soft against his, her fragrance toxicating his nostrils with the smell of sweet magnolias in the mornings.

'Even though I'm not the strongest woman there is?'

'I don't need her, I already have you.'

'Even though I'm not the prettiest the world has?'

Neji faced her and lifting her chin up. He just love staring at those brown pools. His finger tucked her hair behind her ears to see the pretty face he adored skin deep.

'I don't care whether you are not to the world, because you are most in my eyes.'

'Maah...you're just saying that to make me feel better.'

He embraced her again and rested his cheek to her forehead.

'Of course I'm not.'

And the fireworks sparks just like the two of them. And under those glittering lights, they shared their first kiss. Now, he truly believes that there's a heaven on earth. Where else? Here, in the companion of the most important woman in his life. To the woman who captured his once binded heart.

---end


End file.
